US SUMO OPEN BACKGROUND

As the largest and longest-running, annual sumo competition worldwide, outside of Japan, the US Sumo Open has been the first to bring Pro Sumo Grand Champions as special guests, the first to pioneer women’s matches in American tournaments, the first to feature multiple World Sumo Champions in a single event, and the first to include former top-ranked Pro Sumo wrestlers in competition!

Since 2001, the annual US Sumo Open has been a hallmark event, setting milestones in international sumo’s growth, including multiple national TV broadcasts on Universal Sports Network. We’re proud to be pioneers in developing this ancient martial art in the United States.

The competition level is also spectacular, with over 953 international athletes from 42 countries who have wrestled in 2,882 matches, in the first 25 years. Most of these competitors have been National or World Sumo Champions. This is the only sumo event in North America where you can catch this caliber of international sumo, every year.